Hair styling apparatus

ABSTRACT

A hair styling apparatus includes first and second handle members adapted for movement between an open position for receiving hair therebetween and a closed position adjacent the hair, a heating element associated with at least one of said first and second handle members and a vibration element mountable to at least one of the first and second handle member to impart mechanical energy to the heating element. The vibration element may include a transducer. The transducer may be a piezoelectric transducer.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for treating hair.

2. Background of the Related Art

Hair straightener apparatuses typically include two pivotal handleswhich are hinged at one end and pivot about the hinge between open andclosed positions. Heating heads extend from each handle and have innersurfaces comprised of a heatable material, usually metal, forstraightening or styling hair. An electric heater element locatedbeneath each heatable surface is activated to warm the surfaces to adesired temperature. The inner surfaces are positionable around hair tobe styled, and the hinged handles are moved to a closed positionbringing the heated inner surfaces in contact with the hair. The grippedhandles are then slid along the hair strands until the hair exits fromthe heads. One example of a hair straightener apparatus is disclosed incommonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 7,178,532, the entire contents of whichare incorporated by reference herein.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, the present disclosure is directed to further enhancementsin hair straightener apparatuses. In accordance with one embodiment, ahair styling apparatus includes first and second handle members adaptedfor movement between an open position for receiving hair therebetweenand a closed position adjacent the hair, a heating element associatedwith at least one of said first and second handle members and avibration element mountable to at least one of the first and secondhandle member to impart mechanical energy to the heating element. Thevibration element may include a transducer. The transducer may be apiezoelectric transducer.

A first heating plate may be mounted to the first handle member and asecond heating plate may be mounted to the second handle member. Thetransducer may be positioned to impart mechanical energy to the secondheating plate of the second handle member. In one embodiment, thetransducer is positioned to impart mechanical energy to each of thefirst and second heating plates of the first and second handle members.

First and second transducers may be mounted within respective first andsecond handle members. The first transducer may impart mechanical energyto the first heating plate and the second transducer may impartmechanical energy to the second heating plate.

A manually operable intensity control may be provided and adapted forselective manipulation to control output of the transducer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various embodiments of the present disclosure are described hereinbelowwith references to the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the hair styling apparatus in accordancewith the principles of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view a hair styling apparatus in accordancewith the principles of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the hair styling apparatus;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the hair styling apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view of the hair styling apparatus; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram illustrating some of the operatingcomponents of the hair styling apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now in detail to the drawings and, in particular, to FIGS.1-5, the hair styling apparatus 100 in accordance with the principles ofthe present invention is illustrated. The hair styling apparatus 100 maybe in the form of a hair straightener utilized to generally straightenthe hair of the subject. However, it is envisioned that the hair stylingapparatus may includes surfaces to shape, crimp or affect any stylingeffect to the subject's hair.

The hair styling apparatus 100 includes first and second handle members102,104 connected to each other through a hinge 106, of a conventionaltype. The hinge 106 typically incorporates a spring to normally bias thefirst and second members 102, 104 to the open position depicted inFIG. 1. The first and second handle members 102, 104 are adapted topivot about the hinge 106 between the open position of FIG. 1 and theclosed position depicted in FIGS. 2-3 and 5.

With reference to FIGS. 4-5, the first and second handle members 102,104 includes first and second outer housings 108, 110. Disposed withinthe first and second outer housings 108, 110 are heating element orplates 112, 114, which are at the end remote from the hinge 106 andframe segments 116, 118 positioned adjacent the hinge 106. The heatingplates 112, 114 are heated by conventional electrical means (not shown)known in the art, so that hair can be positioned therebetween forstyling. The heating plates 112, 114 are connected to the first andsecond outer housings 108, 110 through housing connectors 120, 122 andconnected to the first and second frame segments 116, 118 through frameconnectors, 124, 126 respectively. The first and second frame segments116, 118 include hinge segments 128, 130 which cooperate to pivotallycouple the first and second handle members 102, 104, thereby forming thehinge 106. The hinge segments 128, 130 may be enclosed via hinge covers132, 134.

The first and second handle members 102, 104 may include an on/off powerswitch 136, an LED 138 mounted within the first outer housing 108 of thefirst handle member 102 for indicating when the power is activated, anda power cord 140. A window 142 may be mounted to the first outer housing108 to enclose the LED 138 for viewing through opening 143 of the firstouter housing 108. A control board 144 including a controller/processorfor controlling operation of the apparatus 10 is mounted within thefirst outer housing 108, e.g., to the first frame segment 128. Thecontroller will be discussed in further detail hereinbelow. One or morecontacts 146 (one is shown on the second handle member 106) to power theheating plates 112, 114 only when the first and second handle members102, 104 are in the closed position. Stoppers or spacers 148 extendingbetween the first and second handle members 102, 104 ensure properspacing of the first and second handle members 102, 104 and/or thecomponents thereof.

The apparatus further includes one or more vibratory or oscillatoryelements 150 in the form of, e.g., a transducer which is mounted withinthe second handle 106. The transducer 150 is adapted to transmitmechanical or ultrasonic energy to at least the second handle 106 andthe second heating plate 114. In one embodiment, the transducer 150transmits mechanical energy to at least the first and second outerhousings 108, 110, which is, in turn, conveyed to the first and secondheating plates 112, 114. The transducer 150 may be secured to the innersurface of the second outer housing 110 with an epoxy or adhesive.Multiple transducers 150 may be provided and secured to both the firstand second outer housings 108, 110. Each housing 108, 110 may have oneor more transducers, and the location of the transducer 150 may bevaried.

In FIG. 5, the transducer 150 is depicted beneath the frame segment 118spaced from the heating plates 114. The transducer 150 may directlycontact the frame connector 126 of the second handle 104 such thatduring activation mechanical energy is directed to the second heatingplate 114 through the frame connector 126. With this arrangement, thevibratory energy may be partially or entirely directed to the secondheating plate 114. Other locations for the transducer 150 are alsoenvisioned. For example, the transducer 150 may be positioned directlybeneath the second heating plate 114 to directly about the secondheating plate 114.

The transducer 150 may be activated via a manual control switch mountedto one of the first and second handle members 102, 104. In oneembodiment, the transducer only may be activated when the first andsecond handle members 102, 104 are in the closed position, i.e., whenthe contacts establish electrical contact.

The transducer 22 may be a piezoelectric transducer (e.g., ceramic orquartz) adapted to convert electrical energy to mechanical energy usinga vibrating element, to amplify and direct the mechanical energy intothe first and second handles 102, 104 and ultimately to the heatingplates 108, 110. Any commercially available frequency transducers may beutilized. Such transducers are small in size and profile and thereby maybe readily incorporated within the outer housings 108, 110 of the firstand second handles, exhibit high mechanical stiffness, and can operateat a variety of frequency ranges including relatively high frequencyranges while requiring minimal input energy and force (as compared to amotor driven vibrator). The transducer 150 also may generate heat to atleast supplement the heat generated by the heating plates 112, 114. Theoutput of the transducer 150 may be selected controlled via a controlknob mounted to one of the handle members 102, 104, which is controlledby the controller to vary the intensity of the output. A suitable highfrequency transducer may operate to provide a frequency output rangingfrom about of 10 Hz-5 MHz.

FIG. 6 illustrates further details of the controller and operatingcomponents of the hair treatment apparatus 100 will be discussed. Thehair treatment apparatus 100 utilizes one or more controllers orcircuitry 200 mounted to the control board 144 to receive variousinformation and transform the received information to generate anoutput. The controller 200 may include any type of computing device,computational circuit, software, logic or any type of processor orprocessing circuit 202 capable of executing a series of instructionsthat are stored in a memory. The controller 200 may include multipleprocessors 202 and/or multicore central processing units (CPUs) and mayinclude any type of processor, such as a microprocessor, digital signalprocessor, microcontroller, or the like. The controller 202 may alsoinclude a memory 204 to store data and/or algorithms to perform a seriesof instructions. The memory 204 may include a mechanism that provides(e.g., stores and/or transmits) information in a form readable by amachine such as a processor, computer, or a digital processing device.

The controller 200 controls operation of the heating plates 112, 114 andthe transducer(s) to activate/deactivate these components in response toactivation of the manual controls. For example, the apparatus 100 mayinclude the manual power on/off control 136 which activates the heatingplates, a manual vibration control 206 to activate the transducer(s) 150and a manual intensity control 208 which controls the intensity orfrequency of the output of the transducer(s) 150. The manual vibrationcontrol 206 and the intensity control 208 may be mounted to either thefirst and second handle members 102, 104 and may be controlled by asingle actuator.

In use, the power control 136 is placed in the on position, and hair ispositioned between the heating plates 112, 114 of the first and secondhandle members 102, 104. The handle members 102, 104 are approximatedcausing the electrical contacts to engage and activate the heatingplates 112, 114. The apparatus 100 is maneuvered to drag the hairbetween the heating plates 112, 114 to straighten the hair. When it isdesired to position the apparatus in vibration mode, the vibrationcontrol 206 is activated causing the one or more transducers 150 toimpart mechanical energy to at least one or both of the first and secondheating plates 112, 114 thereby causing the one or more plates 112, 114to vibrate and impart a straightening effect to the hair. In oneembodiment, the transducer 150 will not be activated until theelectrical contacts engage each other, e.g., when the first and secondhandle members 102, 104 are in the approximated condition. The intensityof the vibratory or oscillating movement may be selectively variedduring the course of treatment by the manual intensity control 208.

It is further envisioned that the vibratory energy provided by thetransducer will assist in absorption of a treatment agent positioned onthe subject's hair or on pads which would be mounted to the heatingplates. Such treatment agents may include argan oil, pharmaceuticallyactive agents, moisturizers, hydration agents, penetration agents,preservatives, emulsifiers, natural or synthetic oils, solvents,surfactants, detergents, gelling agents, emollients, antioxidants,fragrances, fillers, thickeners, waxes, odor absorbers, dyestuffs,coloring agents, powders, viscosity-controlling agents, buffers,protectants, pH regulators, chelating agents, humectants, conditioners,glitter, mica, minerals, silicones, polyphenols, sunblocks,phytomedicinals, and combinations thereof, as well as other additivestypically used in hair care products as appreciated by those skilled inthe art.

The above description and the drawings are provided for the purpose ofdescribing embodiments of the present disclosure and are not intended tolimit the scope of the disclosure in any way. It will be apparent tothose skilled in the art that various modifications and variations canbe made without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure.Thus, it is intended that the present disclosure cover the modificationsand variations of this disclosure provided they come within the scope ofthe appended claims and their equivalents.

1. A hair styling apparatus, which comprises: first and second handlemembers adapted for movement between an open position for receiving hairtherebetween and a closed position adjacent the hair, the first andsecond handle members extending along a longitudinal axis; a heatingelement associated with at least one of the first and second handlemembers; and a vibration element mountable to at least one of the firstand second handle members to impart mechanical energy to the heatingelement, the vibration element axially spaced from the heating element.2. The hair styling apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the vibrationelement includes a transducer.
 3. The hair styling apparatus accordingto claim 2 wherein the vibration element includes a piezoelectrictransducer.
 4. The hair styling apparatus according to claim 3 includinga first heating plate mounted to the first handle member and a secondheating plate mounted to the second handle member.
 5. The hair stylingapparatus according to claim 4 wherein the transducer is positioned toimpart mechanical energy to the second heating plate of the secondhandle member.
 6. The hair styling apparatus according to claim 4wherein the transducer is positioned to impart mechanical energy to eachof the first and second heating plates of the first and second handlemembers.
 7. The hair styling apparatus according to claim 4 includingfirst and second transducers mounted within respective first and secondhandle members, the first transducer imparting mechanical energy to thefirst heating plate, the second transducer imparting mechanical energyto the second heating plate.
 8. The hair styling apparatus according toclaim 4 including a manually operable intensity control, the intensitycontrol adapted for selective manipulation to control output of thetransducer.
 9. The hair styling apparatus according to claim 2 whereinthe ultrasonic transducer is activated upon movement of the first andsecond handle members to the closed position.
 10. The hair stylingapparatus according to claim 9 wherein the ultrasonic transducer isdeactivated when the first and second handle members are in the openposition.
 11. The hair styling apparatus according to claim 4 whereinthe first and second handle members include first and second frames, thefirst and second frames defining a hinge about which the first andsecond handle members pivot between the open position and the closedposition, the first and second heating plates respectively coupled tothe first and second frames.
 12. The hair styling apparatus according toclaim 11 wherein the transducer is mechanically coupled to at least oneof the first and second frames.
 13. The hair styling apparatus accordingto claim 12 including first and second transducers mechanically coupledto the first and second frames respectively.
 14. A hair stylingapparatus, which comprises: first and second handle members adapted forpivotal movement about a hinge between an open position for receivinghair therebetween and a closed position adjacent the hair, the first andsecond handle members extending along a longitudinal axis; first andsecond heating elements mounted to the first and second handle membersrespectively, and being remote from the hinge; and a vibration elementmountable to at least one of the first and second handle members toimpart mechanical energy to the heating element, the vibration elementaxially spaced from the heating element.
 15. The hair styling apparatusaccording to claim 14 wherein the first and second handle membersinclude first and second frames, the first and second frames definingthe hinge, the first and second heating plates respectively coupled tothe first and second frames.
 16. The hair styling apparatus according toclaim 15 including first and second transducers mechanically coupled tothe first and second frames respectively.